Israeli jets launched strikes on Gaza City on Tuesday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the militant group Hamas of violating a ceasefire in the Palestinian territory and ordered the army to deploy “strong attacks”.
Israel resumed air attacks on Gaza City PHOTO EPA-EFE
At least two people were killed and four others wounded in an attack on a residential building in the city's Sabra neighborhood, and an area near Shifa Hospital – the largest hospital still operating in northern Gaza – was also hit, Gaza officials, witnesses and Hamas media said, according to Reuters.
The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the attacks, the latest episode of violence in a fragile three-week truce that followed a statement from Netanyahu's office that he had ordered immediate strikes.
The statement did not give a specific reason for the attacks, but an Israeli military official said Hamas had violated the ceasefire by launching an attack against Israeli forces in an area of the enclave under Israeli control.
“This is another flagrant violation of the ceasefire”the official said.
The US-backed cease-fire agreement came into effect on October 10, ending two years of war triggered by Hamas' bloody attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, which devastated the coastal strip. Both sides accused each other of violating the ceasefire.
Earlier on Tuesday, Israeli media reported an exchange of fire between Israeli forces and Hamas fighters in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. The Israeli military did not respond to requests for comment on the information.
Hamas has denied responsibility for an attack on Israeli forces in Rafah. The group also said in a statement that it remains committed to respecting the cease-fire agreement in Gaza.
Tuesday's strikes on Gaza City came after what Israel on Saturday called a “aimed hit” on a person in central Gaza whom he claimed was planning an attack against Israeli troops.
Netanyahu also said Tuesday that Hamas had violated the ceasefire by surrendering “wrong remains” in the process of returning the bodies of the hostages to Israel.
The Israeli prime minister said the remains handed over on Monday belonged to Ofir Tzarfati, an Israeli killed in the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, whose remains had already been partially recovered by Israeli troops during the war.
In response, Hamas said it was to hand over the body of a missing hostage found in a tunnel in Gaza to Israel on Tuesday. However, the group's armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, later announced it was delaying the surrender, citing alleged ceasefire violations by Israel.
Hamas accused Netanyahu of looking for pretexts to back out of commitments made by Israel.
Under the terms of the cease-fire agreement, Hamas released all living hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian wartime prisoners and detainees, while Israel withdrew its troops and halted its offensive.
